This invention relates to devices for holding tubular items, particularly tubular items such as intravenous tubing utilized in the field of medicine for the intravenous injection of liquids.
The most commonly used method of securing injection cannula, infusion tubes and other tubular items of equipment during intravenous injections, has been to strap such items to the patient with ordinary adhesive tape. This has proven unsatisfactory because the tape must be removed each time the held item is changed, causing discomfort to the patient and possible skin damage. Moreover, the items are usually not held sufficiently secured and are likely to move relative to the patient each time the patient moves, again causing pain and possible injury, or even complete dislodgement of the item.
One prior art tubing support system in a related field is that found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,280 to Lacont for a "Catheter Support" in which en elongated elastic band is used to encircle the limb and then to double back upon itself to capture the catheter tubes by a system of VELCRO (a Registered Trademark of Velcro Corporation, New York, N.Y.)-type hook and loop fasteners. Another prior art supporting system is that found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,380 to Boyd for a "Holder For Intravenous Injection Cannula and Tubing" which discloses a holder comprising a strip of adhesively backed tape to which is attached a longitudinally split clamping tube of flexible plastic material which receives the IV tube and over which a flap of hook and loop fastener is secured to retain the tubing within the clamping tube.